• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note
Montifringilla nivalis and M. henrici (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) were previously lumped as M. nivalis following AERC TAC (2003); Cramp et al. (1977-1994); Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2016	Least Concern

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2)	16,000,000	medium
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2)	16,300,000	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Value	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Number of mature individuals		poor	estimated	2009
Population trend	stable		suspected	-
Generation length (years)	2.8	-	-	-

Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 520,000-1,600,000 breeding pairs, equating to 1,560,000-4,800,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). Europe forms 25-49% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 3,180,000-19,200,000 individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding	Non-breeding	Passage
Afghanistan	extant	native	yes
Albania	extant	native		yes
Andorra	extant	native	yes
Armenia	extant	native		yes
Austria	extant	native	yes
Azerbaijan	extant	native	yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina	extant	native		yes
China (mainland)	extant	native	yes
Croatia	extinct	native		yes
Czechia	extant	native			yes
France	extant	native	yes
Georgia	extant	native		yes
Germany	extant	native		yes
Greece	extant	native	yes
Hungary	extant	vagrant			yes
India	extant	native	yes
Iran, Islamic Republic of	extant	native	yes
Iraq	extant	native	yes
Italy	extant	native	yes
Kazakhstan	extant	native		yes
Kyrgyzstan	extant	native		yes
Liechtenstein	extant	native	yes
Mongolia	extant	native		yes
Montenegro	extant	native		yes
North Macedonia	extant	native	yes
Pakistan	extant	native	yes
Portugal	extant	vagrant			yes
Russia	extant	native	yes	yes
Russia (Asian)	extant	native		yes
Russia (Central Asian)	extant	native	yes
Russia (European)	extant	native		yes
Serbia	extant	native		yes
Slovenia	extant	native	yes
Spain	extant	native	yes
Switzerland	extant	native	yes
Tajikistan	extant	native		yes
Türkiye	extant	native	yes
Uzbekistan	extant	native		yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Armenia	Pombak mountain chain
Serbia	Prokletije
Serbia	Sara mountain
Greece	Mount Olympos
Greece	Tymfi (Gkamila) and Smolikas mountains
Greece	Mount Gkiona
Greece	Mount Parnassos
Azerbaijan	Zakataly
Switzerland	Pre-alpine region of Pays d'Enhaut
Switzerland	Augstmatthorn
Switzerland	Upper Toggenburg and Säntis
Switzerland	Central Valais between Sierre and Visp
Switzerland	Valley of Zermatt
Switzerland	Aletsch region
Switzerland	Heinzenberg mountain and surrounding valleys
Switzerland	Lower Engadine and Swiss National Park
Switzerland	Simplon region
Switzerland	Maggia valley
Switzerland	Piora - Dötra
Switzerland	Bregaglia valley
Switzerland	Pre-alpine region of Schwyz
France	Parc National de la Vanoise
Türkiye	Bolkar Mountains
Afghanistan	Big Pamir
Afghanistan	Small Pamir
Afghanistan	Salang Kotal
Afghanistan	Bande Amir
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Lar River Protected Area
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Oshtrankuh Protected Area
Russia (European)	Kabardino-Balkarski Nature Reserve
Russia (European)	Alaniya National Park
Uzbekistan	Angren Plateau
Türkiye	Eastern Black Sea Mountains
Tajikistan	Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes and mountains
Tajikistan	Zorkul Nature Reserve (Lake Victoria)
Tajikistan	Karakul lake and mountains
Tajikistan	Rangkul valley (Rangkul & Shorkul Lakes)
Tajikistan	Dzhavshangoz
Tajikistan	Kondara Gorge
Tajikistan	Iskanderkul lake and mountains
Tajikistan	Drumkul Lake
Kazakhstan	Almaty State Nature Reserve
Tajikistan	Aktash massif
Tajikistan	Ishkashim
Russia (European)	Bazarduyzi and Shalbuzdag alpine mountains
Uzbekistan	Pulatkhan Gorge
Uzbekistan	Oygaing River Valley
North Macedonia	Shar Planina Mountain
Türkiye	Girdev Lake and Akdağlar
Türkiye	Bey Mountains
Türkiye	Munzur Mountains
Türkiye	Buzul and İkiyaka Mountains
North Macedonia	River Radika catchment
Italy	Maiella, Pizzi and Frentani mountains
Italy	Abruzzo National Park
Italy	Gran Sasso and Laga mountains
Türkiye	Ağrı Mount
Kyrgyzstan	Gorge Tash-Rabat
Kyrgyzstan	Eastern Alai
Mongolia	Khokh Serkhiin Nuruu
Mongolia	Tsengel Khairkhan Mountain
Kazakhstan	Aksu-Dzhabagly State Nature Reserve
Slovenia	Julijci
Slovenia	Karavanke
Spain	Babia-Somiedo
Spain	Picos de Europa mountain range
Spain	Ordesa-Bielsa
Spain	Posets-Maladeta
Iraq	Peramagroon Mountain
Türkiye	Aladağlar

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)		major	resident
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Purpose	Primary form used	Life stage used	Source	Scale	Level	Timing
Pets/display animals, horticulture	-	-		international	non-trivial	recent

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Montifringilla nivalis. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-winged-snowfinch-montifringilla-nivalis on 28/09/2023. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org on 28/09/2023.